These Ottawa homeowners wanted to make their kitchen a hub for hanging out as a family and for entertaining, but their kitchen was closed off from the rest of the house and didn’t feel inviting. “And like most family households, they needed a place for everything,” says designer Nathan Kyle of Astro Design Center. This meant being strategic about every inch of storage. In the course of a complete remodel, he opened the kitchen to the family room and placed a long, hardworking island in the center. Now it’s a welcoming room where everyone loves to spend time.

To get you inspired on this Friday, Astro’s Interior Designer, Marina Medina shares her top 7 light fixtures from Visual Comfort & Co. They offer quality home lighting that are as beautiful as they are timeless. The best part is these lights are now on special during our Holiday Lighting event. See the light?

As our lives continue to urbanize and pick up pace, our connection to nature – natural light, organic materials, greenery - has been greatly reduced. It is a well researched fact that adding elements of natural world to interiors can help to reduce stress, improve well being and enhance creativity, focus and clarity of thought. Our design team has often looked to the natural world for inspiration for the interiors that we create. With interior trends constantly changing and evolving, we continue to seek out highest quality natural materials and organic forms to create timeless and lasting spaces. Below is a list of our favorite ways of incorporating biophillic design elements into home interiors.